2023 is here and I’m expecting the best! January seemed like business as usual with the incessant fuel scarcity and in February, the scarcity of Naira notes made things weirder.
I resigned from my role as senior reporter at TechCabal. It’s been an amazing 2 years + and I think it’s time to take a step back from the day-to-day demands of Journalism.
The build-up to the Nigerian Presidential elections has been fascinating and tense. We’re in the middle of result announcements and I’m hopeful that this election will be a turning point in the history of Nigeria.
Highlights of the Months
- I got reminded that I was nominated for being the most generous in my set in secondary school.
- I finally had my teeth scaling and polishing session at the dentist after a year of running away from it. It’s not painful, but it’s discomforting having metal grind against my teeth.
- I voted for the second election in a row. What was different about this one was that I waited till the results in my polling unit were announced. Unfortunately, the results couldn’t be uploaded because of issues with the electoral body’s system.
- Hosted the first edition of My Startup in 60 Seconds, a new video series called a show where startup founders share the unique problems they are solving for Africa in a one-minute video.
From the Web
???? Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World – Jacqueline Novogratz
“This book assumes that you are interested in being part of world-changing human capital that will help solve problems big and small. Maybe you are a teacher or a communicator, an activist or a doctor, a lawyer or an investor, or some new force for positive change.”
Jacqueline Novogratz challenges readers to rethink how they solve problems, just as she did over two decades ago when she started Acumen, a philanthropic venture capital fund.
???? Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear
“The goal in any sport is to finish with the best score, but it would be ridiculous to spend the whole game staring at the scoreboard. The only way to actually win is to get better each day.”
Atomic Habits is one of those books that I’ve heard many people reference, which made me feel like I’ve read it but I never had. I picked it up after a friend recommended it.
???? Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One – Emily Heyward
“As long as there are shortcomings or pain points, there’s space for disruption. There’s always a better, smarter, more humane way. The companies that are succeeding today are the ones who identify these issues and see them as opportunities. They recognize the blind spots, shortcomings, and failures of the old guard, and they’re finding new, creative ways to solve problems for consumers.”
????Learning Curve 2022: Some of the most helpful books, articles, podcasts, and videos I came across
2022 was an insane ride. I won a few journalism awards, participated in a six-month journalism fellowship, travelled to six countries (five for the first time), and did terrific work as a journalist. Amid all this, I’m glad I was able to keep on learning.
This is my own version of the year in review.
???? Stop Trying to Ask ‘Smart Questions’
Maybe the point of a good question is to arrive at a better question.
???? How DER became a one-stop shop for startups in Senegal
“These big VC firms came offering $1 million-size cheques, but for startups, in a small country with less than 15 million people it was too much for us. We didn’t need that much in the early days,” Diouf said. “On the other hand, DER came and quickly provided the $10,000 or $100,000 that many entrepreneurs were asking for to accelerate their startups.”
???? 15 People on the Most Important Question They’ve Ever Been Asked
“Would you do this if you weren’t being paid?”
“Mummy, should this be my decision or yours?” – my 7-year-old
“How is avoiding to do X serving you?”
“Which of my current views would I disagree with if I were born in a different country or generation?”
???? Dr. Gary Linkov: City Facial Plastics + Dr. Chris Raynor | Not Your Everyday Ortho
I developed an interest in watching these YouTube channels of medical practitioners. Dr Gary Linkov made me more conscious of people’s efforts to change their looks. Dr Chris Raynor why going to a chiropractor is nothing but a feel-good exercise and arguably a waste of time and money.
???? The Post
Set in 1971, The Post depicts the true story of attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers, a set of classified documents regarding the 20-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War and earlier in French Indochina back to the 1940s.
As a journalist, this movie resonated so much with me. Tough calls have to be made.
????Why I’ll be disappointing people in 2023 and you should too:
Quote ????
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
– Colossians 3:1-2